Method and device for transmitting force magnetically

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a method and a device for transmitting force, in particular an impetus, by magnetic interaction. Thereby, a plurality of supports are fitted with one or more magnets and rotatably supported by bearing means. Each support is connected to one or more freewheel means, i.e. freewheeling bearings, so that each support can be put into rotation or motion, about an axis of rotation or along a straight or curved path in only one direction. Also, each support is fitted with one or more individual magnets in a predetermined arrangement. A plurality of such supports are arranged at a distance relative to one another in such a way that an impetus transmitted to a first support is transmitted by this first support to an adjacent second support by magnetic interaction, is transmitted by said second support to the third support adjacent said second support, and so on. It is of importance that the freewheel means make it impossible for a support which has been set in motion to go into reverse and this causes virtually the whole of the impetus to be transmitted to whichever is the next support at the time. Hence a starting impetus, having once been transmitted to the magnetic impetus-transmitting device from an external source of impetus, can be transmitted for long distances with virtually no losses in a similar way to a wave. If the distance is a closed loop, e.g. a circle, the impetus can be maintained for quite long periods.

The present application is a 35 U.S.C. § 371 U.S. National Phase ofPCT/IBO01/102187, filed 20 Nov. 2001, which designated the U.S.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method and a device for transmitting forcemagnetically by means of movable magnets which interact with oneanother.

PRIOR ART

Magnetic devices for transmitting force have long been known in which adrive force is transmitted from a first rotatably mounted body to asecond rotatably mounted body. The first and second bodies areco-axially positioned at a distance from one another. The transmissionof force produced by the action of magnets is similar to that by meshinggears forming a gear train. One disadvantage of such knownforce-transmission devices is that as the size of the force to betransmitted rises so too do the transmission losses.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,949 (Mabe) discloses magnetic transmissions in oncontact torque transmitting relation with both a rotatable sun memberand a rotatable ring member. Each of the rotatable members is providedwith a plurality of magnetic poles which comprise alternating north andsouth magnetic polarities. The disclosed transmissions can be used asspeed increasing or decreasing transmissions depending on the memberwhich is driving and driven, respectively. Further, the transmissionallows the separation of the first rotatable member from the secondrotatable member.

DE-A-43 02 216 (Schrötter) discloses a transmission comprising two ormore roll-like bodies which are rotatably supported and arrangedparallel and in close relationship to each other. In the outer surfacesof the roll-like bodies helix-shaped magnets are provided whereas themagnet poles of the same polarity are directed radially outwardly. Forcetransmission from one roll to the next one is achieved by the repulsiveeffects of the poles of the same polarities.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved method anda device for transmitting force, in particular an impetus, magneticallyby means of which the torque-transmitting ability in particular can beimproved. Another aim is to provide a method and a device fortransmitting force magnetically by means of which impetuses can betransmitted over long distances. It is also an aim to propose a methodand device to allow energy to be tapped off.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the invention, the object is achieved by providing aplurality of supports or members to hold or position one or moremagnets, by arranging each support to be movable on or by means ofbearing means, on for example a spindle, shaft, rail, ring, etc., byconnecting each support to one or more freewheel means, i.e. backflushor back-stop means, which ensure that the support can move in only onespecific direction, along either a straight or curved path, i.e. isrotatable or movable, as the case may be, in only one direction, byfitting each support with one or more individual magnets, with themagnets being arranged at specific positions and in specificorientations, and by arranging a plurality of said supports at adistance relative to one another in such a way that an impetustransmitted to a first support is transmitted by this first support toan adjacent second support by magnetic interaction, is transmitted bysaid second support to the third support adjacent said second support,and so on, in which case the freewheel means makes it impossible for asupport which has been set in motion to go into reverse and this causesvirtually the whole of the impetus to be transmitted to whichever is thenext support at the time. In this way an impetus transmitted to thefirst movable support or member will be transmitted step by step to thelast movable support or member in a series of co-operating and magnetbearing supports or members. The advantage which this method has is thata starting impetus, having once been transmitted to the magneticforce-transmitting device from an external source of impetus, can betransmitted for long distances with virtually no losses in a similar wayto a wave. Even though the freewheel means can basically be produced indifferent ways, it is preferable for freewheeling bearings (also knownas backflush or back-stop bearings) to be used. In an advantageousembodiment the support may even form part of the bearing means and/orfreewheel means.

The invention distinguishes from the prior art discussed above in thatthe movable members are not only supported by bearings but are also in aco-operating relationship with backflush or back-stop means. Thesebackflush or back-stop means, in particular backflush or back-stopbearings, ensure that the magnet bearing members can move only in onedirection. Still further, the members are actuated not simultaneously,but consecutively. This means, that only a few members or supports willbe in motion after an impetus has been transmitted to an inventiveimpetus transmitting device.

Advantageously, the support provided is a carriage and a plurality ofcarriages are arranged in a line and at a distance from one another on arail, ring, etc. which follows a straight or curved or circular etc.path, so that a starting impetus transmitted from an external impetussource to the first carriage can be transmitted to the last carriagesituated on the rail. Alternatively, the support provided may be a discor a ring and a plurality of discs or rings may be arranged at adistance from one another on a common axis of rotation to form a stackor a disc or ring assembly, so that a starting impetus transmitted froman external impetus source to the first disc in the stack can betransmitted to the last disc in the stack. Even though the supports can,basically, be lined up to follow one another in different geometricalarrangements, they are preferably arranged in a straight line one behindthe other or along a circular path.

The magnets which adjacent supports have and which are used to transmitthe impetus from one support to the next are preferably so orientatedthat when they approach one another a repulsion, which is preferably themaximum, results. What this means is that the like poles of the magnetsbelonging to adjacent supports are preferably directed towards oneanother. A variant for which there is a particular preference isobtained if coil formers are arranged at a distance from the path ofmovement of the magnets so that the movement of the magnets willgenerate an electrical field in the coils by induction and an electriccurrent can be tapped off. This makes it possible for differentlyorientated magnets to be arranged on a single support and for some ofthe magnets to be used for impetus transmission and the others to beused to generate a field by induction. The co-operating magnets may bearranged on the same circular path or may be radially offset from oneanother. In a non-closed-loop arrangement, e.g. where the supports arearranged in a line, it is preferable for the impetus from the lastsupport to be fed back again to the first support. The advantage thishas is that a single impetus can be stored in the support arrangementfor quite a long time.

The present invention also relates to a device for at least the magnetictransmission of impetus, having a plurality of supports each fitted withone or more magnets, each support being arranged on or by means ofbearing means, e.g. on a spindle, axis, shaft, ring or the like, and oneor more freewheel means, in particular freewheeling bearings, beingconnected to each of the individual supports in such a way that thesupports having the magnets are able either to rotate about an axis ofrotation or to move along a straight or curved path formed by a rail,shaft, ring, etc., in only one direction, and to an arrangement of thesupports relative to one another such that an impetus transmitted to afirst support is transmitted by magnetic interaction from this firstsupport to the adjacent second support, from this second support to thethird support adjacent to the second support and so on, with thereversal of direction of a support once set in motion which is madeimpossible by the freewheeling bearing or bearings causing the impetusto be transmitted virtually in full to whichever support is next. Theadvantage this has is that once a starting impetus has been transmittedto the magnetic force-transmitting device from an external impetussource it can be transmitted for long distances with virtually no lossesin a similar way to a wave.

As already described above, a support may take the form of a carriageand a plurality of carriages may be arranged to be spaced apart from oneanother in a line on a rail so that they can move in only one givendirection, meaning that a starting impetus transmitted from an externalimpetus source to the first carriage will be transmitted through to thelast carriage on the rail. Alternatively, the support provided may alsobe a disc or ring and a plurality of discs or rings may be positioned ata distance from one another on a common axis of rotation to form a discor ring assembly. The geometries described above are easy to achieve inpractice and are found to be particularly beneficial.

A disc acting as a support is advantageously carried by a centralfreewheeling bearing which ensures that the support is supported by abearing and can turn in only one direction of rotation. The freewheelingbearing may be a combination of a conventional bearing and afreewheeling bearing. To keep the stress on the freewheeling bearinglow, it is useful for the rings, discs, carriages, etc. to rest onsuitable separate bearings or to be held by the latter in such a way asto be movable in at least one direction, and for separate freewheelingbearings to be used which, in conjunction with for example a gear whichcooperates with suitable teeth on the ring or disc, monitor thedirection of travel or movement. It goes without saying that if aplurality of bearings are used they may rest against the inner and/orouter circumference of a ring.

It is conceivable for a disc to be provided as a support for the magnetsand for a plurality of such discs to be arranged at a distance from oneanother in a common plane so as to be rotatable in only one specificdirection (axis of rotation perpendicular to the common plane) so that arotary starting impetus transmitted to the first disc from an externalimpetus source will be transmitted through to the last disc in the discassembly. It is possible in this case for the discs to be so arranged asall to turn in the same direction of rotation or for alternate discs toturn in opposite directions when they are situated not one behind theother but next to one another. It is also conceivable for the discs tobe arranged as a stack and in a circle (see FIG. 17).

In a particularly preferred embodiment, coils are arranged at a distancefrom the path along which the magnets move so that moving the magnetscauses an electrical field to be generated in the coils by induction andan electrical current can be tapped off. When this is the case and themagnet support used is a ring, the coils may be positioned in the planeof the ring at a distance from its periphery or perpendicularly to theplane of the ring.

Each support is preferably fitted with at least two differentlyorientated magnets spaced apart from one another, with the magnets in aspecific first orientation being used to transmit the impetus to theadjacent support and the magnets in a specific second orientation beingused to allow the power to be tapped off. The surprising effect which anarrangement of this kind has is that energy can be tapped off andobtained from an arrangement constructed as detailed above. It isconceivable, where supports co-operating with one another are laid outin a line, for means to be provided to transmit or feed the impetus fromthe last support back to the first support. Such means may for examplebe a shaft which connects the last support to the first one.

The bearing means used for the supports may be bearings of any kind suchas ball bearings, plain bearings, air bearings or the like. The onlything that is important is that they should allow the supports to bemoved or transported with the least possible losses so that not too muchof the energy fed in from outside in the form of an impetus is wasted infrictional losses.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described in more detail below by reference to thedrawings. In each case the same reference numerals are used for the sameparts in the drawings.

In the drawings

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a device fortransmitting force magnetically comprising individual, independentlyrotatable rings,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an individual ring from the device shown inFIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the ring shown in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of ring having twomagnets,

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 shows a third type of ring having a total of four cutouts to holdmagnets of different orientations,

FIG. 7 shows a linear assembly of rings formed from rings as shown inFIG. 6,

FIG. 8 is an opened-out view of the assembly shown in FIG. 7,

FIG. 9 shows a force-transmitting and generating device formed usingrings as shown in FIG. 6,

FIG. 10 shows the results of a dynamic electromagnetic field simulation,

FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a prototype device for transmitting forceand tapping force off at the same-time having a large number of ringspositioned one behind the other,

FIG. 12 shows a further embodiment of support in the form of a ringwhich has magnets projecting in the radial direction,

FIG. 13 shows an assembly of rings as shown in FIG. 12 positioned in aspaced relationship one above the other,

FIG. 14 shows a ring assembly as shown in FIG. 13 having a stack ofcoils laid out around the rings,

FIG. 15 shows the assembly shown in FIG. 14 with a frame at the end tocarry the rings and the stack of coils,

FIG. 16 is a schematic view of another possible embodiment for tappingoff energy having a support in the form of a ring, where the coils canbe arranged around the ring and perpendicularly to it,

FIG. 17 is a schematic view of a device for transmitting impetus andtapping off energy having stacks of discs arranged in a circle;

FIG. 18 schematically, a device for transmitting impetus andsimultaneously driving a shaft;

FIG. 19 is a schematic partial perspective view of the device of FIG. 18showing the ring-shaped supports having teeth in their circumferencewhich mesh with gears mounted on a shaft (part of the supports andgears, respectively, being cut off for a better illustration); and

FIG. 20 shows a single support meshing with a gear (part of the supportand the gear being cut off for a better illustration).

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of a device 10 a according to theinvention for transmitting force magnetically which is formed by aplurality of rings 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, etc. which are spaced apart fromone another and are fitted for magnets 13. The rings 11 a, 11 b, 11 cetc. act as supports for the magnets 13 and are free to rotate about acommon axis 15. Positioned around the peripheries of rings 11 a, 11 b,11 c, etc. at regular intervals are bearings 17 (not shown in FIG. 1)which ensure that the rings are free to rotate with the absolute minimumof frictional losses.

Each ring 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, etc. is fitted with at least one magnet 13.At least part of the magnet or magnets is held in recesses 14 a in ring11. The magnets 13, which are used to transmit force from ring to ring,are orientated in the same direction on the rings, which are arrangedone behind the other, so that poles magnetised in that same wayencounter one another when the rings rotate relative to one another.This arrangement for the magnets 13 ensures that a rotary impetustransmitted to ring 11 a for example from an external device (not shown)is transmitted to the next ring 11 b because of the magnetic repulsionand is then passed on by the latter to ring 11 c, and so on to whicheveris the adjacent ring in the particular case, in a similar way to a wavebeing propagated.

To prevent a ring 11 which is set in rotary motion from moving inreverse the rings are each connected to at least one freewheelingbearing 19. The freewheeling bearing 19 ensures that each ring 11 a, 11b, 11 c, etc. can turn in only one direction (arrow 20=direction ofrotation) and cannot reverse its rotation when a magnet of the samepolarisation is approached on the adjacent support. In the embodimentshown the freewheeling bearing 19 is mounted on a shaft 21 (not shown indetail) extending co-axially to the axis of rotation 15 and is connectedto be locked in rotation to a gear 23. The teeth 25 of gear 23 mesh witha matching set of teeth 27 on the inside of a ring 11 a, 11 b, 11 c,etc.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a second embodiment of ring 11′ for use in aforce-transmitting device according to the invention. Ring 11 differsfrom the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 chiefly in that two magnets 13situated diametrically opposite one another are arranged on ring 11. Themagnets 13, which are rectangular in plan, are partly held on ring 11 incorresponding recesses and are arranged to be orientated in the same way(arrow 32=direction of polarisation). To make the magnetic field asstrong as possible, the magnets 13 are preferably assembled into a stackfrom a plurality of individual magnets 13 a, 13 b, 13 c (see FIG. 5).Each stack of magnets is held together by cups 29 which are secured toopposite sides of ring 11 by rivets 31. It goes without saying that thestacks of magnets can be fastened in place by any suitable meansfamiliar to the person skilled in the art.

The ring 11″ shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, which has a total of four recesses14 b, can be used to allow force to be tapped off from the ringarrangement in operation by means of some of the magnets 13. For thispurpose, two magnets 13″ situated opposite one another are in a firstorientation O₁ (in a tangential direction), by which means an impetuscan be transmitted to the next adjoining ring virtually in its entirety,and the other two magnets 13′, which are likewise situated opposite oneanother, are in a radial orientation O₂, by which means a maximumelectrical field can be transmitted to a coil former 35 adjacent to ring11 (FIG. 9). It goes without saying that only two magnets can be usedrather than four, with the first magnet being polarised in the radialdirection and the second in the circumferential direction.

The embodiment in FIG. 9 shows the bearings 17 arranged against theinner circumferences of the rings by means of the shafts 33 of therings. Positioned at a distance from the rings 11 carrying the magnets13′ and 13″ and in the same plane as them are a plurality of fixed coilformers 35 with or without ferrite cores (for the sake of clarity theferrite cores and freewheeling bearings have not been shown in thedrawing). The device for transmitting and tapping off force is onlyshown schematically and in operation, when the rings 11 rotate, themagnets 13′ generate an electrical field in the coil formers 35 byinduction and this field can be tapped off as electrical energy.

FIG. 10 shows the results of a dynamic electromagnetic field simulation.Along the y axis is plotted the force in newtons which acts between themagnets 13 in two adjacent rings and the x axis is the time axis in ms.The plot shows that the relative forces are virtually balanced afteronly the first pass (=transfer of impetus) and the energy (integratedcurves) is maintained between the individual passes.

The device for transmitting force and enabling energy to be tapped offat the same time which is shown in FIG. 11 comprises two modules 37 a,37 b joined together in line with one another, each having a pluralityof rings 11 arranged one behind the other. The rings 11 are mounted tobe freely rotatable by means of bearings 17 which rest against thecircumferences of the rings, with freewheeling bearings (not shown inFIG. 11 for representational reasons) ensuring that the rings 11 canrotate in only one specific direction of rotation. Also shown are coilformers 35 arranged around the rings 11 by means of which energy can betapped off.

The modules 37 a, 37 b have a frame 39 in which are arranged shafts 41extending in the longitudinal direction for the bearings 17. Shown atthe end of the device is an electric motor 43 which acts as an impetusgenerator. The electric motor can be used to transmit a starting impetusto the front ring. By virtue of the technical features already describedof the force transmitting device, this impetus is then transmitted tothe other rings and can be fed back from the last ring in the device tothe first one. It goes without saying that in the case of an arrangementlike that shown having a very large number of rings positioned onebehind the other more than one impetus can be fed in and can be on itsway along the arrangement.

On reading what is said above, it will be clear to the person skilled inthe art that with an annular layout for the devices for transmittingforce and allowing it to be tapped off which are shown as examples, onceimpetuses have been fed in, and providing the frictional resistanceencountered is only slight, impetuses can be maintained in the systemfor a very long time. However, since at the same time electrical fieldscan be generated in coil formers by induction when the rings, discs etc.rotate or suitably designed carriages move in translation, it ispossible for energy to be tapped off or obtained in this way when theforce-transmitting device is operating.

The device shown in FIGS. 12 to 14 differs from the embodiments shownpreviously in that the supports holding the magnets 13 are in the formof carriages 47. The carriages 47 are mounted so as to be free to moveby means of bearings 51 which engage with the opposite side of ring 49.Freewheeling bearings not shown in the figures ensure that the carriages47 can rotate along their circular path in only one specific direction.As in the other embodiments, so too in this one the magnets 13 arepreferably assembled from a plurality of individual magnets in order tobe able to obtain a magnetic field of greater strength.

FIGS. 14 and 15 are schematic views of the entire device fortransmitting force and allowing it to be tapped off in which theindividual rings 49 and the carriages 47 arranged against them aresurrounded by a large number of coil formers 35 which are eachpositioned in the same planes as their respective rings. When the deviceis operating, the rotating magnets 13 generate in the coil formers 35electrical fields which, when integrated over time, give the energyproduced. The rings 49 and the coils 35 positioned around them are heldtogether by flanges 53 mounted at the end faces.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 16 differs from the embodiments describedpreviously in that the coils are not arranged at a distance from theperiphery of the rings but at a distance from the plane of the ringperpendicularly. A mounting 55, of which only part is shown and whichextends around the ring and has cutouts 57, is used to hold coils whichare not shown in detail. In this embodiment, magnets whose fieldstrength is at a maximum in a direction perpendicular to the plane ofthe ring need to be used.

FIG. 17 shows in diagrammatic form another basic arrangement for ringsarranged in stacks 59. The ring stacks 59 are arranged in a circle butfor the sake of clarity the coils, which are positioned around thestacks of rings inside and outside them, are not shown. Rings stackswhich are adjacent to one another can turn in opposite directions(arrows 61 and 63).

To sum up, it can be said that the device according to the invention andthe method can be used for transmitting force by means of magneticinteraction and at the same time for allowing energy to be tapped off.What is essential in this case is that, by means of magnets and magneticrepulsion, an impetus or torque is transmitted by a support which isfitted with magnets and mounted to move in a specific direction to theadjacent support, which is mounted to move in the same direction. It isimportant for each support to be connected to suitable means, e.g.freewheel means or freewheeling bearings, so that it can only turn ormove forwards in one specific direction. The fact that the freewheelmeans employed make it impossible for a support which has been set inmotion to go into reverse causes virtually the whole of the impetus tobe transmitted to whichever support is next and so a starting impetus,having once been transmitted to the device for magnetic forcetransmission from an external source of impetus, can be transmitted forlong distances with virtually no losses in a similar way to a wave. Byusing coils positioned at a distance from the path along which themagnets move, energy can be tapped off from the support arrangement atthe same time when it is operating.

To the reader skilled in the art it will be clear that an enormousvariety of different arrangements and designs are conceivable andproducible within the scope of the invention without departing from theinvention's basic concept.

FIGS. 18 to 20 show a device 61 for tansmitting impetus and drivingsimultaneously a shaft. The device 61 comprises a frame 63 supporting astationary axis 65 onto which supports or members 11 are mounted bymeans of backflush or back-stop bearings 19. Each support 11 is equippedwith a plurality of magnets 13 (only two of them shown in FIGS. 19 and20). Further, each support 11 is provided with teeth 67 in itscircumference. Said teeth 67 mesh with teeth 69 of adjacent gears 71.Said gears 71 are mounted on a shaft 73 which is rotatably supported bythe frame 63. The gears 71 are mounted onto the shaft 73 by separatebackflush or back-stop bearings 75. Said backflush or back-stop bearings75 ensure rotation of the shaft 73 only in direction. An electric motor43 is mounted to the frame 63. It has a driving gear 77 mounted on ashaft (not shown in FIG. 18) which meshes with the teeth 67 of the firstsupport 11 a. The electric motor 43 serves for transmitting singleimpetus to the impetus transmitting device 61.

It is to be understood that the backflush or back-stop bearings 19 canbe replaced by or, preferably be in combination with clutches. Theclutches can be operated electrically, or electro-magnetically ormechanically. They ensure that the respective magnets of a driven(moving or rotating) support can approach to a maximum the magnets ofthe subsequent support thereby allowing a maximum impetus transmissionfrom one to the next support.

The device 61 is operated in the following manner: At the beginning theelectric motor 43 transmits an impetus to the first support 13 so thatthe first support 13 is rotated until the driving force equals therepulsive effect of the interacting magnets 13. The backflush orback-stop bearings 19 thereby prevent the first support from moving inreverse. The repulsive forces between the interacting magnets of thefirst and second supports 11 a, 11 b set the second support 11 b inmotion (the first support 11 a held in position by the backflush orback-stop bearings 19). If clutches are used in combination with theback-stop means, the second (subsequent) support can also be held inposition until the maximum repulsive force is reached. When the maximumrepulsive force is reached, the clutch is released and the secondsupport 11 b rotates forwards until the repulsive forces between themagnets 13 of the second and third supports 11 b, 11 c are equal insize, and so on.

When the support 11 a rotates, also the gear 71 a is rotated therebyrotating also the shaft 73. The remaining gears 71 b, 71 c etc. do notrotate as the backflush or back-stop bearings 75 allow slipping of theshaft 73. This means that only the respective gear 71 being driven(rotated) by one of the supports 11 is set in motion. As the impetusmoves forward from one support to the next, the shaft 73 is furtherrotated. This finally results in a continuous rotation of shaft 73. Therotational force can be used for driving another device.

It is to be noted that the electric motor can be operated continuouslywith an essentially constant rotational speed. Thus, the first supportrotates also with a constant rotational speed. The subsequent (second)support, however, is held in position by a clutch and released when apredetermined repulsive force between the magnets of the first andsecond supports is reached. Thereafter the second support is releasedand the impetus transmitted to the third support. The third and theremaining supports thereby can also be in connection with clutches sothat the impetus is transmitted to the adjacent support. The frictionalforces between the mechanical components, e.g. bearings and axis, do notdecrease the torque of the moving supports, but lead only to an increaseof the time necessary until the impetus reaches the last support in aseries of supports.

In the above-discussed embodiments the magnets can be permanentlymagnetized or electromagnets. Further, the magnets can be replaced bysprings or pneumatic devices like gas springs or the like. It is to beunderstood that the impetus transmission may be realized by acombination of magnets and other mechanical means as proposed above.

Captions 10a, 10b Embodiments of the magnetic force transmitting deviceetc. 11a, 11b, supports or members (rings) in the first embodiment 11c .. . 13 Magnet 14a, 14b Recesses in the rings 11a, 11b etc. and 11’, 11”respectively to hold magnets and magnet stacks 15 Axis of rotation ofrings 17 Rotary bearings 19 Freewheeling bearings 20 Direction ofrotation of rings 21 Shaft 23 Gear 25 Teeth of gear 23 27 Teeth on theinterior 29 Cups for stacks of magnets 31 Rivets 32 Arrow = direction ofpolarisation 33 Shaft for rotary bearings 35 Coil formers 37a, 37bModules of the device for transmitting force and allowing it to betapped off in FIG. 11 39 Frame of the device in FIG. 11 41 Shafts forbearings 17 43 Electric motor 47 Carriages 49 Ring of the embodimentshown in FIGS. 12 to 15 51 Bearing 53 End flange of the embodiment shownin FIGS. 12 to 15 55 Mounting to take coils 57 Recesses to take coils 59Stack of rings 61 device for for tansmitting impetus and simultaneouslya shaft 63 frame 65 stationary axis 67 teeth provided in thecircumference of the supports 69 teeth of gears 71 71 gears for drivingthe shaft 73 73 shaft driven by gears 71 75 backflush or back-stopbearings connecting gears 71 to shaft 73 77 driving gear of electricmotor 42 of device 61

1. Method of transmitting force, in particular an impetus, magneticallyby means of movable magnets which interact with one another, said methodcomprising: providing a plurality of supports to hold or position one ormore magnets projecting from the supports; arranging each support suchthat it is movable on or by means of bearing means; connecting eachsupport to one or more freewheel means so that the support is rotatableor movable, about an axis of rotation or along a straight or curved pathin translation respectively, in only one direction, in which case thesupport may be part of the bearing and/or freewheel means, fitting eachsupport with one or more individual magnets in a preset arrangement, andpositioning a plurality of said supports relative to one another at adistance so that an impetus transmitted to a first support istransmitted by this first support to an adjacent second support bymagnetic interaction, is transmitted by said second support to a thirdsupport adjacent said second support, and so on, in which case thefreewheel means makes it impossible for a support which has been set inmotion to go into reverse and this causes virtually the whole of theimpetus to be transmitted to whichever is the next support at the time;and arranging the impetus transmitting magnets such that the vector ofpolarization extends in the moving direction, and further arranging likepoles of the magnets belonging to adjacent supports such that they aredirected towards one another.
 2. Method according to claim 1,characterised in that the support provided is a carriage and a pluralityof carriages are arranged one behind the other at a distance from eachother on a rail which follows a straight or curved or circular etc. pathso that a starting impetus transmitted from an external impetus sourceto the first carriage is transmitted through to the last carriagesituated on the rail.
 3. Method according to claim 1, characterised inthat the support provided is a disc and a plurality of discs arearranged at a distance from one another on a common axis of rotation toform a stack, so that a starting impetus transmitted from an externalimpetus source to the first disc in the stack is transmitted through tothe last disc in the stack.
 4. Method according to claim 3,characterised in that the common axis of rotation of the stack of discsfollows a straight or curved path and preferably a circular path. 5.Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the magnets whichadjacent supports have and which are used to transmit impetus are soorientated that when they approach one another the result is preferablythe maximum repulsion.
 6. Method according to claim 1, characterised inthat coils are arranged at a distance from the path of movement of themagnets so that the movement of the magnets generates an electricalfield in the coils by induction and an electrical current can be tappedoff.
 7. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that each supportis fitted with at least two magnets spaced apart from one another andthe magnets are so orientated that the magnets in a specific firstorientation are used to transmit the impetus to whichever is theadjacent support and the magnets in a specific second orientation areused to allow the force to be tapped off.
 8. Method according to claim1, characterised in that in a non-closed-loop arrangement, where thesupports are arranged in a line, the impetus from the last support ispassed back or fed back again to the first support.
 9. Device fortransmitting force, in particular an impetus by means of magneticinteraction, comprising: a plurality of supports each fitted with one ormore magnets, with each support being positioned on bearing means andone or more freewheel means, in particular freewheeling bearings, beingconnected to the individual supports so that the supports carrying themagnets are able to move in only one moving direction either about anaxis of rotation or along a straight or curved axis of translatorymovement, and an arrangement of the supports relative to one anothersuch that an impetus transmitted to a first support is transmitted bymagnetic interaction from this first support to the adjacent secondsupport, from this second support to the third support adjacent to thesecond support and so on, in which case the reversal of direction of asupport once set in motion, which is made impossible by the freewheelingbearing or bearings, causes the impetus to be transmitted virtually infull to whichever support is next and a starting impetus, having oncebeen transmitted to the magnetic force-transmitting device from anexternal impetus source, can be transmitted for long distances withvirtually no losses in a similar way to a wave, wherein the impetustransmitting magnets are arranged such that the vector of polarizationextends in the moving direction, and further in that like poles of themagnets belonging to adjacent supports are directed towards one another.10. Device according to claim 9, characterised in that the supportprovided is a carriage and a plurality of carriages are arranged to bespaced apart from one another on a rail which follows a straight orcurved or circular etc. path, so that a starting impetus transmittedfrom an external impetus source to the first carriage will betransmitted through to the last carriage on the rail or will travelround in a circle.
 11. Device according to claim 9, characterised inthat the support provided is a disc and a plurality of discs arepositioned at a distance from one another on a common axis of rotationto form a stack, so that a starting impetus transmitted from an externalimpetus source to the first disc in the stack will be transmittedthrough to the last disc in the stack.
 12. Device according to claim 10,characterised in that each disc has a central freewheeling bearing whichholds the disc and causes it to be mounted to rotate in only onedirection of rotation.
 13. Device according to claim 9, characterised inthat the support provided is a ring and a plurality of rings arepositioned at a distance from one another on a common axis of rotationto form a stack, so that a starting impetus transmitted from an externalimpetus source to the first ring in the stack will be transmitted to thelast ring in the stack.
 14. Device according to claim 12, characterisedin that the rings are mounted so as to be free to rotate by means of aplurality of bearings resting against their peripheries and in thatteeth are provided on the inside of the rings with which a gear held bya freewheeling bearing meshes.
 15. Device according to claim 9,characterised in that the common axis of rotation of the stack of discsor rings is a straight or curved path and preferably a circular path.16. Device according to claim 9, characterised in that the supportprovided for the magnets is a disc and a plurality of discs are arrangedat a distance from one another in a common axis of plane so as to berotatable in only one direction by means of one or more suitablebearings, so that a rotary starting impetus transmitted from an externalimpetus source to the first disc will be transmitted through to the lastdisc in the arrangement of discs.
 17. Device according to claim 9,characterised in that the orientation of the magnets positioned onadjacent supports is such that a repulsion which is preferably themaximum is produced when they approach each other.
 18. Device accordingto claim 9, characterised in that coils are arranged at a distance fromthe path along which the magnets move so that moving the magnets enablesan electrical field to be generated in the coils by induction and anelectrical current to be tapped off.
 19. Device according to claim 18,characterised in that each support is fitted with at least two magnetsof different orientations which are spaced apart from one another, withthe magnets in a specific first orientation being used to transmit theimpetus to the adjacent support and the magnets in a specific secondorientation being used to allow the force to be tapped off, in whichcase the magnets for impetus transmission may be situated eitherparallel to or radially inwards or outwards of the magnets fortransmission by induction.
 20. Device according to claim 9,characterised in that where the supports are not in a closed-looparrangement, means are provided for transmitting or feeding the impetusfrom the last support back to the first support.
 21. Device according toclaim 8, characterised in that the bearing means are ball bearings,freewheeling bearings, plain bearings, air bearings or a combination offreewheeling and ball bearings or the like.
 22. Device for transmittingforce by magnetic interaction and for allowing energy to be obtained ortapped off according to the characterising features of claim
 9. 23.Device according to claim 9, characterised in that the supports aremechanically coupled to an external device which is driven by thearranged at a distance from the path along which the magnets move sothat moving the magnets enables an electrical field to be generated inthe coils by induction and an electrical current to be tapped off. 24.Use of a device according to claim 9 in conjunction with coils arrangedat a distance from the path of movement of specific magnets to allowforce to be tapped off and energy to be obtained.
 25. Method accordingto claim 1, characterised in that the supports when in motion aredriving at least an external device or arrangement.
 26. Method accordingto claim 1, wherein the magnets are replaced by springs or pneumaticdevices like gas springs.
 27. Device according to claim 9 wherein themagnets are replaced by springs or pneumatic devices like gas springs.28. Device according to claim 9 wherein the impetus transmission isrealized by a combination of magnets and springs or pneumatic deviceslike gas springs.